Message From the Past (for the Future)
Tribute to founder of Al-Hādil Ameen by the esteemed Moulana Abdul Kadir
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the world with peace and blessings of Allah upon the messenger Muhammad (pbuh), his family and all his companions.
My beloved and respected friend Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib sahib (may Allah enlighten his grave with His noor), is well known generally throughout South Africa and particularly in Durban. He was born in a village called Dammam in India on 13 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1320 AH (1900AC) and was about 6 months of age when his honourable father passed away and Hajee Ismail sahib took custody of him. At the age of 5 years, he had completed the reading of the complete Qur’an and went on to obtain his primary Islamic education from his paternal aunt.
Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib sahib’s paternal grandfather was always conscious of the Maulana’s further higher education. A very close friend of maulana’s father was Maulana Ahmed Mukhtar Siddiqui. When he returned from hajj, he enquired about Maulana Khatib’s progress. He insisted that the Maulana be sent with him in pursuit of higher Islamic education, as a fulfilment of promise he had made to the maulana’s father. The Maulana’s mother eventually agreed and sent him for higher education with Mukhtar Siddiqui Sahib and Maulana Abd Al Aleem Siddiqui.
At Meerat, the Maulana Abu Bakr was admitted at Madrasah Imdaad-ul-Islam as a student of Hifz-ul-Quran under the able leadership of Hafiz Hafeezullah and completed the Hifz of the Quran in two and a half years and going on to Madrasah Qawmiyyah in Khair Nagar for his initial studies in Arabic and Persian. During this time he was still in the custody of Maulana Mukhtar Siddiqui sahib. Thereafter he went to Lucknow where he was officially admitted as a student of Madrasah Islamiyyah Firangee Mahal. There he spent seven years studying for the Alim Faazil course. It was here that he began reading na’t/odes both in Urdu and Persian in the presence of large gatherings. He was fortunate to serve and be in the company of great spiritualist Hazrat Allamah Maulana Abdul Baari Sahib. It was in this noble company that Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib sahib was given the gift of reading Quran, Mathnawi of Maulana Rumi, Deenwan- e- Haafiz and other nazms of a religious social and political nature in public gatherings. Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib also served as Imam in various masajid throughout the world. He served as Imam in Colombo, Sri Lanka as well as Maputo.
Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib sahib was brought to South Africa by the Lockhat family in 1944 and was officially appointed Imam at the Ahmadiyyah Masjid in Mayville, Durban. There he had also started imparting Islamic Education to many students. Almost everyone knows the Maulana by name, but very few know his capabilities as an Alim. Maulana Abu Bakr Khatib’s favours are still being counted amongst muslims, specifically in the larger Durban area. Those who had completed their Hifz under his able guidance are still leading the taraweeh salaah during the month of Ramadhan in various masajid.
In 1956, he started publishing his monthly magazine and his annual Islamic calendars under the name AL HAADIL AMEEN. He served as the Imam of the Jami Masjid in Grey Street, Durban, for many, many years this was greatly beneficial to the Muslims community there. He breathed his last on 8 January 1979 in his birthplace village of Damman and was also buried there. Alas! What a great loss to the Muslim community.
After the Maulana Khatib’s passing his eldest son Hafiz Abdul Hasan Khatib continued in the footsteps of his respected father. It is with the barakah of good and sincere intention that one becomes successful in fulfilling ones ambition.
